# 1861 in Wales

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1861 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Henry Paget, 2nd Marquess of Anglesey
* Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – John Lloyd Vaughan Watkins
* Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Sir Richard Williams-Bulkeley, 10th Baronet
* Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Edward Pryse
* Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor (from 26 April)
* Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – Robert Myddelton Biddulph
* Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Sir Stephen Glynne, 9th Baronet
* Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
* Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Robert Davies Pryce
* Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Capel Hanbury Leigh (until 28 September);Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover (from 9 November)
* Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Thomas Hanbury-Tracy, 2nd Baron Sudeley
* Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Sir John Owen, 1st Baronet (until 6 February); William Edwardes, 3rd Baron Kensington (from 28 April)
* Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – John Walsh, 1st Baron Ormathwaite
* Bishop of Bangor – James Colquhoun Campbell
* Bishop of Llandaff – Alfred Ollivant
* Bishop of St Asaph – Thomas Vowler Short
* Bishop of St Davids – Connop Thirlwall

## Events

* 30 May - In a by-election caused by the death of the sitting MP, Richard Grosvenor becomes MP for Flintshire, holding it on behalf of the Liberals.
* 10 June - The Oswestry and Newtown Railway is completed throughout by opening of the section between Abermule and Newtown, giving through rail communication from England to Llanidloes.
* July - Baner ac Amserau Cymru begins twice-weekly publication.
* date unknown
** Japanese knotweed is recorded at Maesteg - the first record of it growing wild in the UK.
** Excavation of Long Hole Cave in Glamorgan reveals prehistoric flint artefacts.
** Pryce Pryce-Jones starts his mail order company in Newtown, Montgomeryshire.
** John Dillwyn-Llewelyn marries Caroline, daughter of Sir Michael Hicks Beach, 8th Baronet.
** Griffith John becomes the first Christian missionary to penetrate into central China.

## Arts and literature
### Awards

* 20–22 August - The first National Eisteddfod of Wales is held at Aberdare. The chair is won by Lewis William Lewis.

### New books

* Autobiography and Correspondence of Mrs. Delaney, ed. Augusta Hall, Lady Llanover
* Griffith Jones (Glan Menai) - Hywel Wyn
* John Jones (Vulcan) - Athrawiaeth yr Iawn
* David Owen (Brutus) - Cofiant y Diweddar Barch. Thomas Williams
* Thomas Rees - History of Protestant Nonconformity in Wales: From Its Rise to the Present Time
* William Rees (Gwilym Hiraethog) - Emmanuel
* Jane Williams (Ysgafell) - The Literary Women of England
* Robert Williams (Trebor Mai) - Fy Noswyl

### Music

* Hugh Jerman - Deus Misereatur

## Sport

* Cricket
** 18 July - South Wales Cricket Club defeat MCC at Lord's.

## Births

* 1 January - John Owen Jones (Ap Ffarmwr), journalist (died 1899)
* 2 January (in Oswestry) - William Henry Griffith Thomas, clergyman and academic (died 1924)
* 28 February - Jessie Penn-Lewis, evangelist (died 1927)
* 22 March - Dick Kedzlie, Wales international rugby player (died 1920)
* 7 April - Clara Novello Davies, singer (died 1943)
* 5 May - John Edward Lloyd, historian (died 1947)
* 31 July at Garneddwen - Alfred W. Hughes, surgeon and founder of the Welsh Hospital in South Africa
* 27 August - Reginald Brooks-King, archer (died 1936)
* 10 September - Sir John Lynn-Thomas, surgeon (died 1939)
* 19 September - Evan Roberts, Wales international rugby player (died 1927)
* 26 October - Richard Griffith (Carneddog), writer (died 1947)
* 28 December - David Gwynn, Wales international rugby player (died 1897)
* date unknown
** William Stadden, rugby player (died 1906)
** John Williams, politician (died 1922)

## Deaths

* 6 February - Sir John Owen, 1st Baronet, 84
* 20 April - David Pugh, merchant, landowner and politician,
* 8 May - Thomas Lloyd-Mostyn, politician, 31
* 17 May - Ellis Owen Ellis, artist, 48?
* 2 August - Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea, statesman, 50
* 5 September - William Addams Williams, lawyer, landowner and politician, 74
* 26 September - Morris Davies (Meurig Ebrill), poet, 71
* 25 October - Sir James Graham, 2nd Baronet, former MP for Pembroke, 69